-- For the third consecutive year, senior defensive lineman Nolan Nearhoof of the RMU football team was honored by the Northeast Conference for his performance on the field and in the classroom, as he was named the 2012 NEC Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Nearhoof, who became the fourth Colonial in program history to earn the award with his first such accolade in 2010, is now just the second RMU student-athlete in school history to win three NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards. Read more about this rare honor.

-- The latest edition of RMU in the News is now online, this month starring Heather Pinson, Monica VanDieren, Scott Leff, Steve Foreman, and President Dell'Omo.

-- The RMU chapter of Student Veterans of America has spearheaded a fundraising drive for 12-year-old Payton Brown, a Coraopolis boy who was badly burned in a fire in November. A benefit dinner dance will take place at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Coraopolis VFW, 412 Mulberry St., and the cost is $10. Donations can also be made on campus at the VETS Center in the Jefferson Center, and at any PNC Branch to the Payton Brown Recovery Fund.

-- Students in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences are once again raising money for the Holy Family Institute through the Penguins Charity Assist Raffle. Students and other volunteers will sell raffle tickets at the Pens game Sunday, Feb. 10, against the New Jersey Devils. Drawings for prizes will take place during the first and second periods. Last year RMU students helped to raise more than $14,000.

YOU'RE INVITED

-- The Pittsburgh Speakers Series will host Jeannette Walls, best-selling author of the memoir The Glass Castle, at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, in the International Suite of the Sewall Center. All members of the RMU community are invited to attend to hear a brief talk by Walls and have the opportunity to ask questions.

*HOOPS PROMOS ALL FOUR GAMES...*Sign up in the arena for a chance to win $500 in the Clearview Federal Credit Union Hoop Shoot Challenge! Also, RMU students, sign up in the arena for the Free Textbook Half Court Shot!

*VOTE FOR HOBEY!...*Three Colonial seniors are on the fan ballot for college hockey's top individual honor -- the 2013 Hobey Baker Memorial Award -- which will be given out right here in Pittsburgh on Friday, April 12 during Frozen Four week festivities. They are forward *Adam Brace*, goaltender *Eric Levine* and forward *Zach Hervato*. Phase I fan voting is going on right now until March 10. Visit www.hobeybakeraward.com to vote.

The Andy Toole Show comes to the Cranberry Buffalo Wild Wings this Monday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m.! Check out last week's show:

Tickets to RMU basketball are free for students, faculty, and staff. For other ticket prices, go to rmucolonials.com.